Interoperability standards for diabetes devices recently published

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund and the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation of the University Health Network have collaborated to release interoperability standards for diabetes devices, according to a joint press release.

The publication aims to develop standard communication protocols to better define the communication between different diabetes devices.

“This is a long-awaited milestone for manufacturers, researchers and for people with diabetes,” Joseph Cafazzo, PhD, of the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation at the University Health Network, said in the release. “There are now defined, open standards where previously none were available. This will ultimately accelerate the ability of companies to produce new technologies for the improved management of diabetes and for developing artificial pancreas systems.”

The goal of the standards is to establish consistent protocols and a universal understanding of the different devices. The authors of the standards hope that these will accelerate research and development of artificial pancreas systems as well as influence how patients use diabetes technology.

“This project was supported by JDRF to accelerate the development of artificial pancreas systems which have the potential to transform the management of type 1 diabetes,” Aaron J. Kowalski, PhD, vice president of JDRF Artificial Pancreas Research, said in the release. “Artificial pancreas systems require effective communication among pumps, sensors and controllers, so we are very happy to at last have standard communications protocols in place. Now, there is one less hurdle facing the development and commercialization of artificial pancreas systems and bringing these systems to people living with type 1 diabetes.”